


Bad Habits Have the Potential to Rub off on Others

by PriorityNaps



Series: Bad Habits [1]
Category: Gintama
Genre: Flashback, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, Pining, Romance, angst if you squint really hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 12:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18940705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PriorityNaps/pseuds/PriorityNaps
Summary: Gintoki found solace in smoking whenever Hijikata was away.





	Bad Habits Have the Potential to Rub off on Others

It was cloudy outside.

Sunshine would peek through every now and then, but other than that the sky was a strange color of shimmering grey and white.

Gintoki sighed and turned his gaze away from the window. He’d hoped to find some sort of distraction by looking outside, but _he_ would always say the clouds reminded him of Gintoki’s unruly perm, so that was no good.

Gintoki had been too out of it to even tune in to Ketsuno Ana’s weather forecast that morning. Usually, the reporter’s perpetual smile would do to lift his spirits, but not today. Instead, he was sat at his desk with his arms behind his head, feet propped up on the table. He’d only reread the week’s new JUMP issue three times. The magazine now lay untouched on the far left side of the desk, away from his feet.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d showered. His perm looked a bit more greasy and not as fluffy this morning when he’d peered in the mirror to splash water on his face, so it’d probably been a while. Shinpachi would always nag at Gintoki to wash up when he’d be running the vacuum. The latter could never quite hear him though, and he didn’t know if it was because of the vacuum or the growing supply of wax in his ear.

Speaking of, he hadn’t shoved his pinky in either ear for quite a while. Or up his nose, now that he thought of it. Maybe that was why he couldn’t detect the aroma of Shinpachi’s cooking that came floating from the kitchen. Maybe that was why he couldn’t hear Kagura yelling his name from the other end of the room.

It definitely wasn’t why he hadn’t seen her coming, though.

Gintoki let out a pained yelp when he felt a foot-shaped something collide with the side of his face. His chair toppled over and he clutched at his now-throbbing temple.

“OW! What the hell was that for, Kagura?!”

The redhead, now stood on Gintoki’s desk with her arms crossed and her brow quirked, addressed him with a frown.

“You wouldn’t respond when I called you, Gin-chan! I’ve been yelling for you to pass the TV remote and you just sat there staring at the wall with those dead fishy eyes of yours!”

She uncrossed her arms and pointed an accusing finger Gintoki’s way to add emphasis.

Gintoki fixed the chair so it wasn’t lying on its side, then stood up and dusted himself. When he looked over Kagura’s shoulder, he could see the TV remote sat on the coffee table, almost directly in front of where the teen had been sitting not long ago.

“It was right in front of you! How do you expect me to get up from my chair, walk around the desk and to the table, hand you the remote, walk back to my desk, and sit back down when the damn thing was _right in front of you_?!”

Kagura hmphed and crossed her arms again.

“Of course _you_ would say that, Gin-chan. You’re just a lazy, good-for-nothing Madao who couldn’t do something as simple as fetching the TV remote for your poor mother, aren’t you?”

Gintoki resisted the urge to slowly and deliberately drag a hand down his face, but he didn’t want to sport a second injury from Kagura’s foot. Besides, he wasn’t in the mood for yet another brawl with the redhead so early in the morning.

“Alright, alright, just sit down. I’ll get it for ya, okay?”

Kagura opened her mouth to possibly fire back a childish retort but stopped when she registered Gintoki’s words. Was her lazy good-for-nothing of a son...surrendering? That wasn’t right.

She quietly hopped down from the desk and walked back to her spot on the couch. Gintoki was right behind her, and he tiredly handed her the remote, which she accepted wordlessly. Her big, round eyes watched as the other slowly made his way back to his desk and heavily plopped down on the chair. He threw his feet up again and leaned back in his chair just like before, arms behind his head and eyes closed.

Kagura blinked, TV remote forgotten.

“Gin-chan?”

Gintoki opened one eye and looked her way. He watched as the redhead swiftly stood up and made her way to him, then propped her elbows on the desk.

“...Is everything alright, Gin-chan? You haven’t been yourself lately.”

Gintoki blinked. Had she noticed his mood?

Maybe Kagura wasn’t as juvenile and oblivious as he thought she was, after all.

“What do you mean, Kagura?”

The redhead chewed her bottom lip a bit before answering.

“Well...you didn’t argue with me like you’d usually do.”

“...”

Gintoki sweatdropped. _This_ was what the Yato girl was concerned over? And here he thought she’d noticed his gloominess when he handed her the TV remote. And what did she mean by ‘lately’? That happened less than two minutes ago!

“Ah, I’m fine, Kagura. Just kinda tired.”

He reached over to give the blue-eyed girl a pat on the head, making sure to smile warmly at her to look convincing enough.

Kagura pursed her lips and lowered her gaze to the worn wood of the desk as Gintoki patted her hair. A teeny, tiny voice in the back of her head told her that no, the latter was not fine. He was putting up a fake front like he’d often do so as not to worry her or Glas一Pachi b一Pattsu一Shinpachi. But he _was_ smiling like that, so…

A grin broke out on her face.

“Alright! Just don’t scare Mother like that next time, okay?”

And with that, Kagura turned around and skipped back to the other end of the living room, where Sadaharu had seemingly popped out of nowhere and was now waiting. She made herself comfortable again on the couch and glued her eyes to the TV screen, and the giant dog did the same. _Detective Conan_ was on, and though it wasn’t exactly her favorite, it was better than doing any sort of work.

Speaking of doing work, the remote seemed a bit far. Far as in, her arm didn’t reach far enough so she could grab it. So Kagura fixed her gaze on it and concentrated with all her might. If she tried hard enough, perhaps the remote would move on her command and she wouldn’t have to一

She sighed.

“Gin-chan!”

 -x-X-x-X-x-

“Kagura, Shinpachi, I’m heading out!”’

Gintoki hopped on one foot as he pulled his right boot on. He secured his bokuto at his left hip and slid the door open.

“Don’t be out too long or Mother will start worrying!”

A howl from Sadaharu and a ‘be careful’ from Shinpachi followed Kagura’s order (how old did they think he was, nine?), and that was that. Gintoki slid the shoji door shut and began trudging down the steps. He was planning on taking an afternoon stroll, so he had no real destination in mind. Stopping by Otose’s had been taken into consideration, but the stupid cat-lady there would start hurling insults and Otose would notice something was off with him, she always did. The old woman was always ready with both a lecture and words of comfort, but Gintoki didn’t want to hear either right then.

He ambled past shops and restaurants, nodding or waving at familiar faces as he went. He was in no hurry, so he kept a leisurely pace. One arm was tucked away in his kimono, the sleeve flapping emptily in the occasional breeze. It was still cloudy, but it’d gotten a bit better and the sunlight was bringing a warm glow to the atmosphere.

A small convenient store was what caught his attention. A bright orange sign near the door advertised a brand of cigarettes he hadn’t heard of before.

Gintoki didn’t think twice. He stopped his foot-dragging and made a beeline for the shop. He was kicking up dust as he went with the pace he was walking at and possibly dirtying his boots, but seeing the word ‘cigarette’ had flipped a switch inside of him.

“I’d like a pack of the Mayoboros, please,” he said to the old lady up front once he’d entered.

She smiled fondly at him before searching for and placing the cigarettes on the countertop. Gintoki shoved his hand in his pocket, dropped whatever money he had in them along with a button, a paper clip, and some lint, and made his way out the door.

A few seconds passed before the old lady called out to Gintoki that he’d left his purchase on the counter. Color rose to his cheeks as he quietly thanked her and grabbed the pack of cigarettes again. He opened the door for the third time that day and stepped back out into the street.

Gintoki waited until he found an empty alley that _didn’t_ stink of garbage or other unnamed substance before ducking into one. He leaned casually against the wall, one leg bent so the sole of his foot was planted against the brick. Deft fingers ripped away the plastic wrap encasing the pack and pulled out a cigarette. He stuck the rolled paper between his lips and chewed it contemplatively, crimson eyes fixed on the box of smokes.

Today marked the nineteenth day he hadn’t seen the Shinsengumi’s Vice Commander. He knew not because he was keeping track, but because the last they’d met was Hijikata’s birthday. If today was the 24th of May, simple mental math told him it’d been two weeks and five days since he’d last seen those gunmetal blue eyes and that ~~cute~~ ridiculous V-cut.

A hint of a smile played across his features when memories of the Vice Commander’s birthday crossed his mind.

 

_He’d made sure the sadist was out before clambering up the gate and making a beeline for the chain-smoker's room. He’d convinced the gorilla beforehand to let his second-in-command off the hook for the rest of the day by the time he showed up at his bedroom door._

_No one seemed to be around, save for what’s-his-face out in the front swinging his badminton racket like his life depended on it. For a second, Gintoki feared that the Mayora was out on patrol since there was no sign of him running after the Shinsengumi spy while spitting curses and threats of seppuku. The sharp smell of cigarette smoke in the air was what eased his nerves._

_He crept along the wooden floorboards that made up the hallway of the barracks. Muscle memory guided him to the outside of his boyfriend’s bedroom, where he stopped to collect himself. He shoved his hand in his pocket to ensure that the small box was still there, then raised his fist to knock gently on the shoji._

_“Come in,” said a tired voice from the inside._

_He slid the door open to find Hijikata sat at his mostly-empty desk, brush poised above a blank sheet of paper. When the Vice Commander saw him, his eyes widened a fraction and he put the brush down._

_“Gintoki?”_

_He smiled warmly when he heard Hijikata say his name._

_“Hey, birthday boy.”_

 

The weight of the lighter in his pocket reminded him that there was a cigarette slowly turning soggy between his lips. He produced the lighter from his pocket and brought it up to his face to light the cigarette, its orange flame glowing brightly in the darkness of the alley.

He pocketed the lighter and inhaled deeply. Smoke filled his lungs and he had to clear his throat a couple times to get used to the feeling.

 

_Gintoki quietly stepped into the room and slid the shoji door shut behind him. The box in his pocket seemed to grow heavier and heavier each step as he carefully closed the distance between himself and the Vice Commander. The latter was watching him, blue eyes into his own crimson ones._

_“What brings ya here?”_

_His voice was soft, so unlike its typical volume, and it held a gentleness Gintoki knew was only reserved for him. A warm smile played across his own features when he crossed his legs and sat at an angle by Hijikata. He leaned back and rested his hands on the tatami and let his eyes wander about the relatively neat room._

_“Do I need a reason to come see you?”_

_He heard the other scoff, then watched as lean fingers once again picked up the brush and began writing. One of Gintoki’s favorite things about Hijikata was his handwriting. Unlike his own messy scrawls, the Vice Commander wrote in perfect calligraphy with practiced ease. Gintoki could sit for hours on his belly with his chin in his hands just to watch the movement of Hijikata’s brush upon paper._

_“Well, I was guessing it was a no-brainer when I greeted you.”_

_Gintoki reached into his pocket, heart rate suddenly spiked, and procured the box from it. He’d taken his time in carefully wrapping it with material the color of his lover’s eyes but decided against a bow accessory like Kagura had suggested._

_He raised his head to meet Hijikata’s gaze and saw that the other had stopped writing completely but hadn’t put his brush down. He was watching the box in Gintoki’s hand but made no move to grab it._

_Gintoki placed it on the desk in front of them both before once again sitting back on his hands._

_At first, Hijikata didn’t move. He simply stared at the present, eyes widened and lips parted. Then, with a barely noticeable tremor in his fingers, put down the brush again and picked the box up. He slowly peeled the wrapping away, being extra careful so as not to rip it._

 

Gintoki exhaled slowly, watching as the thin tendrils of smoke dissipated before him as he did so. His throat was feeling a bit scratchy, he hadn’t smoked in a while. It was a good sign, though, it meant he’d seen Hijikata often enough that he didn’t have to smoke to keep his scent fresh in his memory.

The idea first came to him about a year ago, when Hijikata told him he had to leave town for something Shinsengumi-related. Gintoki hadn’t paid much attention during the conversation, none actually, and he’d come to regret it when nearly a month passed without a sign of the trademark V-cut.

At first he felt petty. He had Kagura and Shinpachi with him, and the old bag downstairs to keep him company. But Hijikata’s withdrawal, if still only temporary, had left a void in Gintoki’s life that nothing seemed to fill. The passing days slowly grew more monotonous than usual and it didn’t help in the least that the Yorozuya business was unusually slow at the time. Gintoki found himself spending most day and night hours away from his flat. He didn’t know if it was a coincidence or not that Hasegawa lost his new job some days prior, so the two had bonded quite a bit over cheap sake and retching in dank alleys in the dead of night and consequently passing out in garbage piles too far from home by the time their guts were turned inside out.

It was when Hasegawa had absentmindedly offered him a smoke that the idea struck Gintoki. It didn’t come to him as something exciting or anything; it just offered him a strange sense of psychological relief knowing that although the man himself was miles away, Gintoki could possibly allow his mind some peace by trying out one of Hijikata’s notorious hobbies: smoking.

Their rare yet countless nights spent together snuggling up to each other against the chill of winter or just for physical contact had taught Gintoki that a hint of menthol was always lingering in Hijikata’s scent, aside from the fresh smell of his shampoo that seemed to stand out the most. The bastard smoked so much that even when he was without cigarettes the smell of them were integrated into his natural scent.

Which was why Gintoki found solace in smoking whenever Hijikata was away.

 

_They were sat comfortably on the porch, just the two of them and the night sky. Hijikata, after much coaxing and grumbling, was leaning against the silverhead, his shoulder blades flush against Gintoki’s toned abdomen. The latter was slowly carding his lean fingers through the Vice Commander’s silky jet-black locks, one arm wrapped around Hijikata’s slender waist._

_Meanwhile, Hijikata occupied himself with admiring his birthday gift. He had to hand it to Gintoki, the other had really put forth effort into getting him such an expensive lighter. It was sterling silver and had ‘Hijikata Toshiro’ engraved in on one side in elegant Japanese. It was uncalled for, but Hijikata quickly grew to learn which lighters were high-priced and sported remarkable quality. He could tell right off the bat that this was one of those._

_A smile played across his features and he held the small present to his chest. He tilted his head up to his lover._

_“Gintoki.”_

_The other dropped his chin to gaze into Hijikata’s cerulean pools, lips turning upward at the call of his name._

_"Hm?”_

_The tiny smile on Hijikata’s face turned into a genuine one, eyes brimming with emotion._

_“Thank you.”_

_Gintoki’s small chuckle sounded like bells chiming merrily in the night breeze._

_“You’re welcome, Toshiro.”_

_And when he leaned down to lovingly kiss his beautiful demon, Hijikata was already meeting him halfway._

 

Gintoki stubbed out the cigarette in the wall behind him and stepped out into the street.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm debating a part two; at first it was a definite yes, but I'm not sure now.  
> HALP.


End file.
